1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an automated processing unit including a conveyor that extends through the automated processing unit and has a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, and at least one working station located above the conveyor for processing a work piece.
2. The Prior Art
Such automated processing unit is known from eg GB-A-2 174 936, disclosing a sanding and polishing machine for sanding and polishing work pieces. The machine comprises a housing configured with a number of working stations in the form of sanding and/or polishing devices, an infeed conveyor extending through the housing underneath the sanding and polishing devices. The sanding and polishing devices are mounted securely in relation to the machine housing and comprise a first endless sanding/polishing belt that extends transversally to the conveyor and sands/polishes in the transversal direction of the conveyor, and three other endless sanding/polishing belts that sand/polish in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor.
When a work piece is to be processed in this machine, it is arranged on the conveyor and advanced by same through the housing with the sanding and polishing devices. If the conveyor advances at a constant rate the first transversal sanding/polishing belt does not in practice sand/polish perpendicular to the work piece, but rather under an oblique angle, the angulation of which will depend on the advancement rate of the conveyor and the rate of the sanding/polishing belt. If it is desired to sand/polish transversally to the work piece, it is necessary to temporarily discontinue the conveyor while such sanding/polishing is performed. The three remaining sanding/polishing devices that sand/polish in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor are comparatively wide and are configured for covering the entire width of the work piece. Each of these sanding/polishing devices is configured with a number of vertically adjustable platen pads, whereby a certain degree of pressure variation can be obtained across the width of the work piece, but since each sanding/polishing device is provided with one sanding/polishing belt that spans the entire width of the work piece, it is possible to obtain only small variations in the sanding/polishing pressure. In particular, these sanding polishing devices are not suitable for sanding/polishing profiles.
It is the object of the invention to provide an automated processing unit that is suitable for processing a work piece in a multitude of directions and is not, associated with the above-referenced drawbacks.